Machine support



F. A. ADAMS MACHINE SUPPORT April 28, 1 925.

3 SheetShet 1 Filed May 27. 1922 v v ,FrafikAAdama.

April 28, 1925. 1,535,558

- F. A. ADAMS MACHI NE SUPPORT Filed May 27. 1922 5 Sheets' She'et 2 xfez April 28, 1925. 1,535,558

.. v F. A. ADAMS momma: SUPPORT Filgd May 27, 1922 5 Sh'e'etsESQefet s vgnwvfloz Eran/5AA dama.

li etented Apr. 28, 192.5,

nnrrs stares FRANK A. ADAMS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOE TO GEORGEE. :MERBELL, INCORPORATED, O'F ROGHESIEE, NEW YORK, 15. CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

MACHINE SUPPORT.

Application rues May 27, 1922. serial No. 564,233.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. AnAMs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe. and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machine Supports;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescr1p tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machine supports and more particularly tosupports for machines that comprise a centrifuge or other member adaptedto rotate at high speed.

Objects of the invention are to provide a convenient portable supportadapted to be moved with themachine;to resiliently support a machine insuch manner as to absorb vibrations in any direction and components ofsuch vibrations; to absorb the whip of a centrifuge caused by unequaldistribution of weight about its axis of rotation in such manner as notto obstruct its coming up to speed; and in general to improve theconstruction andmode of operation of machine supports as moreparticularly described and explained hereinafter, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicatelike parts throughout the several views:

1 is a side elevation of the improved support associated with a machine;

ll 1g. 1 is a sectional view of a detail;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a supporting stand forming a portion of theimproved supporting means;

Fig. 3 1s a vertical section takcncentrally through the supporting standon "line 3 8,

of Fig. 2;

. Fig. 4: is a horizontal section through a fragment of-the supportingstand;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a resilient column forming animportant ele ment of the improved supporting means;

place.

ne ates PATENT orri cn.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of one of the studs adapted to secure theresilient columns to the machine frame and to the supporting stand; y

Fig.7 is a top plan view of a modified construction for detachablyconnecting the leg to the supporting stand; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the parts shown in Fig. 7. y

In Fig. 1 the improved support is shown in the position in whichit isused, with a machine mounted on it. Although the support is particularlydesigned for-use with combined washing machines and centrifugalextractors, yet it is obviously adapted for other types of machines inwhich strains and vibrations, of a character similar to those producedin said type, are set up during operation. i P

I Fig. 1, S represents the edge of a sink by which one sideof asupporting stand is sustained, said supporting stand comprises 7 a topsupporting member 1, which may be of any suitable shape but ispreferably of general triangular form. having an open center 2. Saidsupporting top member 1 may be pressed from sheet material such as 7steel and strengthened by flanges 3 and 4. At opposite sides of the top1 adjacent the rear edge 1 are secured hooks 5. Said hooks projectrearward parallel to each other be yond the rear edge 1? of the top andare so formed as to enable them to engage over and bear upon the edge ofan ordinary sink S or the like and prevent movement transversely of thesink edge Said hooks 5 may be secured. to the top 1 in any suitable man35 ner. As a convenient means of seeming them, a socket member 6 may beformed integral with the top 1 on each side thereof and the. shanks 7 ofthe hooks inserted in them and riveted or otherwise fastened in Thesocket member 6 is preferably formed of a tongue, integral with theflange 3 of the top member, rolled or curled into a tube. As shown inthe drawing, rivets 8 and '8 pass through the socket member 6 95. andshank 7 of the hook' 5 retaining the socket in shape as well as securingthe shank therein. In order that the hooks may be frietionally engagedwith the edge of the sink it is preferred to cover them withantislipping cushioning material and for this purpose rubber tubing 9 isapplied over the sink-edge-engaging portions thereof.

In order to cooperate with the hooks, which rest upon the edge of a sinkor the like, and sustain one side of the top 1, a leg is detachablysecured to the opposite side. A preferred construction for detachablycon necting this leg comprises a portion that may be a separate plate10, secured to the flange 3 of the top member or may be a part of saidflange. The plate 10, illustrated, is widened between its ends so as toproject both above and below said flange as at 11 and 12. To this plateis detachably jointed a bracket as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The saidplate 10 has symmetrically disposed lugs 13 at opposite sides of thevertical center line and adjacent its upper edge. Said lugs 13 may beformed by punching portions of the metal outward from the plate forminglugs integrally connected at their upper ends with the plate. The loweredge of the part 12 of the plate is notched on a vertical linesubstantially midway of the said lugs as at 1-1;. The detachable legbracket comprises a socket member 15 formed preferably of sheet metal,having lateral flanges 16 so shaped as to fit snugly in contact with theexterior of plate 10, the upper edge of said flanges fitting beneath thelugs 13. In the construction shown in Figs. 3' and 4c a T-h-eaded bolt17 engages the bracket, the head thereof passing tran versely throughthe bracket between the socket 1'5 and the flanges 16 while the shank ofthe bolt engages in the vertical notch l t in the lower portion 12 ofsaid plate 10. Any suitable tightening member, as a wing nut 18, may beutilized to tighten the bolt and fix the leg bracket in place. Uponloosening the wing nut it will be obvious that the braeket nia-y bedetached by pulling it downward. In attaching it the tops of the flange16 ar inserted beneath the lugs 13, and the bracket: move-d upward,whereupon the shank of the bolt enters the notch and the nut may betightened.

Secured in the socket member 15 of the leg bracket is a supporting legadapted to rest upon a floor or other foundation and cooperate with thehooks 5 resting upon the edge of sink or the like to sustain the topmember at the necessary height in a sub: stantially level position. Inorder to adapt the support to sinks of different heights, it ispreferred" to make the leg adjustable in length. A convenient adjustableleg coinprises a tubular section 19 secured inthe socket by any suitableiii-cans such as a trans verse pin 19. lVit-hin said tubular section 19is telescoped a second section 20 preferably provided with a rubber orother cushioning foot member 21. The said section 20 fits within and isadapted to slide with respect to the tubular section 19 so that the twosections may be relatively adjusted within such range as may berequired. Said section 20 may be secured to section 19 in adjustedposition by a divided clamp 22 surrounding the lower end of the tubularsection 19, which is split vertically, as at 23, said clamp havingparallel protruding ears 21 adapted to be forced toward each other ymeans such as a bolt provided with. a wing nut as indicated at 25.

A preferred form of means for detachably connecting the leg with the topmember 1 is illustrated in' Figs. 7 and S. In this form plate 10 is diecut or otherwise formed with tongues integral with the edge of theplate, said tongues being subsequently folded over so as to form lugs 13extending diagonally downward toward each other spaced fromthe outerface of the plate a sufficient distance to allow the upper edge of theflanges 16 of the socketed leg brack t to enter beneath them. In thepreferreo form of the invention the head 17* of the clamping bolt 17(preferably of carriage bolt type) engages the inside of the plate 10,the squared part of the shank thereof fitting in the notch l f The shankof bolt 1'? passes completely through socket memb-er 15 and tubular legsection 19, the outer end of said bolt protruding from the front of thesocket member being engaged by a nut 18 whereby the bracket may betightened in place. In this preferred construction the nut for securingor rel-easing the leg bracket is brought into more convenient position;the tightening bolt also has the added function of securing the tubularsection 19 of the leg in the socket member avoiding the necessity ofother means for securing said section to the bracket. This constructionalso utilizes a standard bolt and eliminates the cost of special parts.

An important part of this invention is the means for securing themachine frame to the top of the supportin stand. In the embodiment shownthe machine frame consists of a tub or receptacle 30 within which may benioui'itcd washing and moisture c1;- tracting means not necessary forthe purposes of this invention to be disclosed further than to statethat the moisture extracting means consists of a centrifugal basketindicated at 31 by dotted lines, said basket rotating in hearings in thesaid receptacle or frame 30 so that all stresses and vibrationsresulting from the moven'ients of said basket are transmitted tosaidframe. Beneath the frame 30' there' is shown, in Fig. 1, a housingwhich. it win be understood, may incase, for the purposes of thisferentially as indicated at 38.

application any means adaiiited to rotate the basket 31 at high speed.The said frame is supported on top of a plurality of resilient columns33, the upper ends of which desired thereby to distinguish fromresilient supports in the nature of metallic springs, in which theeffective resilience is due to the form of the resilient member, thoseresilient supports in which elasticity is inherent in the materialpermitting it to yield to forces exerted in every direction and toenergetically recover its original position and shape after these forceshave ceased to act. The material of which these columns are made isrubber. They are secured immovably to the top supporting member 1 ofthestand and immovably to the bottom or under side of the frame 30 asstated. A preferred means for so securing the columns comprises studs34, riveted to supporting member 1 and frame 30, and entcring the upperand lower ends of the columns 33. These studs 3 1 are adapted to havetheir tubular reduced ends 35 inserted within holes 36 made in the saidtop member 1 and in similar holes formed in the bottom of the frame 30.The shoulder 37 of each stud 34 rests against the upper surface of toplor the under surface of frame 30 (as the case may be) and the annularend is expanded or flanged in a well known manner against the oppositesurface of the top or frame so as to secure the stud rigidly. The sidesof said stud are grooved circum- S ockets 39 extendlng in an axialdirectlon are molded or otherwise formed in the upperand lower ends ofsaidcolumns 33 for the reception of the studs 34:. lVhen a column isfirmly seated over a stud on. the supporting member l and the frame isfirn'lly seated on top of the column with a stud extending into saidcolumn a suitable binder such as wire Lil-.001 any available hoseclamping device may be tightened ,cireumferentially around the top andbottom of each column in such manner as to compress the resilientmaterial thereof into the grooves 38 of the studs and securesaid columnsat top and bottom to the under surface of said frame 30 and the uppersurface of the supporting stand,

respectively. The columns are of suiiir cient'height or longitudinal.extent to permit ready lateral flexure thereof between their ends ofconsiderable amplitude. By preference colui'nns 33 are of greaterdiameter at their bases than at points above their bases. Preferablythey taper from the zone 11 to the zone i2 and then expand suffi cientlyto afford firm anchorage for the stud to which it is bound. It ispreferred, at the present time, to make these columns of conical'orconoidal form; but it will be understood that the particular form of thecolumns is not material to my invention provided said columns are ofsuflicient length and resilience properly to respond to the stressesapplied and to achieve the results desired.

It will be understood that when a centrifugal basket, containingclothing, for example, is rotated, the clothing may not be even lydistributed about the center of the basket so that the axis of rotationof the basket,

when loaded, does not pass through the center of gravity of the massconsisting of the basket and its contents. As a consequence of theeccentricity of the center of gravity of the mass with respect to theaxis of rotation of the basket, the mass, when in rotation, tends toassume a position of balance in which the center of gravity coincideswith a point in the axis of rotation. Inasmuch as the mass underconsideration is not rotating freely in space but is necessarily mountedin bearings on some support, said rotating mass, in its efforts toassume a position of balance, applies force to the support tending tomove it. If it is attempted to prevent all movement of the support inresponse to the action of the force referred to, severe vibrations areimparted to the support which are injurious to the machine and support.It is therefore desirable to support the frame or member in or on whichthe basket rotates, by yielding means that will permit some movement ofthe kind referred to but will exercise a restraining action tending torestore the frame to its normal position which it occupies when at rest.The resilient columns herein described, secured immovably at top andbottomto the machine frame and a supporting member, respectively, eapable of yielding elastically to forces ap plied in all dirtuitions andquickly resun'iing their original form, not only accomplishes thedesirable result just mentioned, but ab sorbs effectively all lateraland vertical vibrations and all components thereof.

Having described my invention, whatl claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is: a

1. In a supporting stand, the combination of a top member comprising apiece of sheet I metal having a central opening and a downllii wzirdh'extending peripheral flange therea-round, the member sloping from itsouter periphery toward said flange, said member at its outer peripheryhaving a downward-1y extei'idin'g flange, a pair of horizontally dis"-'posed eyes at oppris'iie sides of said member; hook members receivedwithin said eyes" for supporting said member and additional $1113

